Hey Guys,

I'm looking for options on my 122 wagon design. I've been doing a bunch of looking around and thought I'd toss this out to the forum for your collective wisdom. Here's the rub, it's got to be a relatively self-contailed unit and as it's going under the wagon flat floor it needs to be compact.

So far the front runner is a Jaguar E-Type rear...the track is only 52" (later versions from the XJ are 60" but can be shortened). It meets all the requirements. The aftermarket is pretty good, but I don't want to spend $4500 on some blinged out polished bit of nonsense (where's the fun in having someone polish it for you). The PYP may yield something and I've got time.

The IRS from the 1999-2--3 Mustang is also a possibility - there are differences between the units and the track is too wide, but there may be a better chance of finding one.

What I'm interested in is opinions on converting a e28 BMW swing arm into somthing a little more compact. There are two in the PYP and I could get the pumkin and the axles and ditch the swing arms and work out a coil over set up.

Thought?

Look into rx7 types as well. They are fairly small I believe

If you're looking for production units, the most common in the PNP would probably be Toyota Supra, and they're fairly narrow too (unsure of the track width). They've got a reasonable final drive ratio, unlike the BMW which is frequently geared for their direct drive fifth gear transmissions, IIRC. Sometimes you can even get a Supra with an LSD.

Jag E-Type and Mustang Cobra are going to be impossible to find at the PNP, regardless of how long you look. You'll see 500 Supras before you find either one of those.

polishing is nice by somebody else.
if you need some tools or mig's or welder in general let me know
saturdys only.

I hadn't thought of either the Supra or the RX-7...I know where I can get an RX-7 at least. Thanks guys.

What generation of Supra are we talking here? There is an earlier one out at the PYP Craig.

You guys are all wrong. There IS no IRS in Canada, it's the Canada Revenue Agency, duh.

Anything forward of 1982 has the IRS (for the RX-7 it's the later versions)...I believe these are known as the Gen 2 cars (the first ones are from the 70's and are live rear axle.

Saturday trip to the PYP?

Yeah, you're looking at the 2nd gen "wedge" style Supra. I guess they started in '82? I dunno. Have a look at one, anyway - it may be a nightmare, but maybe not. You could also get this in the Celica GTS, if you trip over one.

The RX-7 rear suspension is ... garbage? In '86 they went to this "passive steer" suspension that relied on bushing compliance and caster trail to "steer" the rear wheels in a corner. By now they're probably all wrecked and impossible to properly set rear wheel alignment. '85 and earlier was the Watts Link centered live axle, and after '96 or whatever year they went to the 3rd gen RX-7, I've got no knowledge.

I'm just guessing that the Supra will be beefier too. Total guess, but since it was behind a 200 hp I6 and not a 145 hp rotary (sewing machine torque) and in a heavier car, it's probably beefier. Notwithstanding Toyota's legendary "overbuilt" '80s attitude.

Can't find a photo of the complete Supra IRS on the interweb, but it's worth a shot. I heard about the RX-7 thing in my searching today - sounds like it's best left in the PYP. Apparently a good number of the Supra's also came with LSD.

The one that's at the PYP is this one...apparently its 3rd gen, 1986-92.



Trip to PYP this Saturday? Indeed. I'm pretty sure its intact except for the engine, if I remember correctly.

pic is third gen.

second gen supras and celica gts will have IRS, second gen supra do not have locking diffs.

I dont know if it counts for much but anyone that uses the RX7 rear in there minitrucks has nothing but problems. The supra ones seem to work better

Then again any IRS is gonna have trouble when the rear diff is driving about 2" off the ground!

That one will do...give me a call and we'll sort something out.